This sweet little cardigan is worked from the top down in a simple garter rib pattern. Tailored details such as shaped shoulders and set-in sleeves give it sophisticated appeal, even on the smallest infant. The instructions follow the basic set-in sleeve instructions from The Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters, adapted for smaller sizes than offered in the book.

The upper back and upper fronts are worked separately in rows from the neck/shoulders to the underarms, then joined for working the lower body in one piece to the lower edge. Stitches for each sleeve are picked up around the armhole, the sleeve cap is worked back and forth in short-rows, then the lower sleeve is worked in the round down to the cuff.

If you are making a size that requires two skeins of yarn, prevent color pooling with this hand-dyed yarn by alternating two rows each from two skeins of yarn throughout the sweater, except when shaping the shoulders and sleeve caps.